Bought this long-handled stainless steel scoop, and customized it for single-arm action (like a sort of a hip-mount style).
The length needed to be such that if I had my arm relaxed at my side, that the scoop doesn't drag the ground (hence, a hair off the ground). Because if the scoop touches or drags the ground, then the user must always elevate it as he walks. Meaning that after a few hours, you've expended too much energy/muscle supporting it everywhere you walk. So as you can see, something like this must be fitted to the height of the individual user (thus perhaps hard to mass produce, since each one would be dependant on the person's height)
And also: the distance between the pistol grip to the arm cuff is critical. I learned the hard way (in designing these for my own use in the past), that if the distance is too short, then the wrong part of your arm bone bears all the stress/pressure, when doing the dig motions. Conversely, if you make it too long, then it chafes your elbow, and prohibit bending at the joint there, etc... So this measurement too is a custom thing, depending on a persons hand to elbow measurement.
Lastly, the angle of the basket to the rod (ie.: the "angle" that basket ends up in, as you slice to dig) is important. If the angle is wrong, you'll find yourself contorting to get the right angle of swipe/dig. I've found the angle is about 90* to the rod. This one in the pix though, is a little off of that, as I'm going to do some final adjustments, after I've had it out a time or two to experiment.
Later on, when I get some video shots of the way it works in the field, I'll post some videos. Once you get accustomed to this type arrangement, you'll eliminate most of the back-breaking bending over, and also the need for two hands, etc..... You'll wonder how you ever got by without this in the past. But it does take a little getting used to, for the first time you try it.
Oh, and I hope it's ok to post the maker of the scoop itself. He was helpful in getting the spec's I needed done (like adding those extra holes, to the bill, to lighten it up more, etc....). He sells on ebay under the name of borderlineengineering. The stainless steel ones are great, as salt doesn't corrode them. To the forum monitor, if was not alright to say the name of the entity I bought the scoop from, feel free to delete this last paragraph.
The length needed to be such that if I had my arm relaxed at my side, that the scoop doesn't drag the ground (hence, a hair off the ground). Because if the scoop touches or drags the ground, then the user must always elevate it as he walks. Meaning that after a few hours, you've expended too much energy/muscle supporting it everywhere you walk. So as you can see, something like this must be fitted to the height of the individual user (thus perhaps hard to mass produce, since each one would be dependant on the person's height)
And also: the distance between the pistol grip to the arm cuff is critical. I learned the hard way (in designing these for my own use in the past), that if the distance is too short, then the wrong part of your arm bone bears all the stress/pressure, when doing the dig motions. Conversely, if you make it too long, then it chafes your elbow, and prohibit bending at the joint there, etc... So this measurement too is a custom thing, depending on a persons hand to elbow measurement.
Lastly, the angle of the basket to the rod (ie.: the "angle" that basket ends up in, as you slice to dig) is important. If the angle is wrong, you'll find yourself contorting to get the right angle of swipe/dig. I've found the angle is about 90* to the rod. This one in the pix though, is a little off of that, as I'm going to do some final adjustments, after I've had it out a time or two to experiment.
Later on, when I get some video shots of the way it works in the field, I'll post some videos. Once you get accustomed to this type arrangement, you'll eliminate most of the back-breaking bending over, and also the need for two hands, etc..... You'll wonder how you ever got by without this in the past. But it does take a little getting used to, for the first time you try it.
Oh, and I hope it's ok to post the maker of the scoop itself. He was helpful in getting the spec's I needed done (like adding those extra holes, to the bill, to lighten it up more, etc....). He sells on ebay under the name of borderlineengineering. The stainless steel ones are great, as salt doesn't corrode them. To the forum monitor, if was not alright to say the name of the entity I bought the scoop from, feel free to delete this last paragraph.
